The day in a tweet: Skittled! Pakistan lose 7-24 to all but surrender first Test after Handscomb hits maiden hundred #AUSvPAK

The hero: At this stage of his Test career, Peter Handscomb is very definitely 'Peter Perfect'. The Victorian could probably have taken the new ball today and run through the Pakistanis – that's just the way things are going for him at the minute. The majority of his hundred was made largely in the shadow of Steve Smith's captain's knock, however after fighting his way through the 80s, he lofted Yasir Shah over long-on for six to move to 97 then punched wonderfully through cover-point for four to bring up the milestone. That's three innings, a century, a fifty and the match-winning run from three trips to the crease. What more could you ask for?

Handscomb in a hurry through the nineties

The cult hero: Nathan Lyon was the last man picked for this Test match but you wouldn't know it by the way the Gabba crowd cheered his every move throughout the day. The off-spinner has suddenly picked up a cult following – owing largely to the 'Niiiice Gary' refrain from Matthew Wade behind the stumps – and his army was in full voice when he swung a lusty 29 from just 24 balls from No.10, before finding some sharp turn with the ball. At one point, the chant 'Gaaaaary' rung around the stadium; rarely has a Brisbane crowd embraced a New South Welshman with such warmth. Even Smith seemed willing to join in the fun, bringing on the offie when the crowd demanded it in the final half hour of the day. Lyon almost obliged with a wicket, too, however Wade missed a fairly routine stumping to give top-scorer Sarfraz Ahmed a life.

The talking point: First it was dropped catches – Pakistan spilled two of them in the morning session that actually only cost them two runs. Then it was Handscomb's hundred. But by day's end the talking point had undoubtedly turned to the haplessness of the Pakistan batting effort, a meek surrender which at one point saw seven wickets tumble for just 24 runs. The capitulation does not augur well for the remainder of the series, particularly when there's history…

Collapse! Watch the eight day-two Pakistan wickets

The trivia: This is far from the first Pakistani flop in Australia. Once in each of the past three decades, they've been skittled for under 100: in 1981 they fell apart for 62 at the WACA, in 1995 they scored just 97 in Brisbane, and the WACA was again the venue when they were rolled for 72 in 2004.

The moment: Josh Hazlewood (3-19) is building an enviable 'pink-ball record' and the Blues quick was again in lethal form in the final session. After breaking Pakistan's most stubborn partnership with the wicket of Babar Azam, well caught by Steve Smith at second slip, the prized scalp of Younis Khan came into his sights. Younis has more runs than any other Pakistani but couldn't survive his first ball in an Australia-based Test for almost 12 years. Hazlewood got it bang on: he found a little bit of movement in through the air, landed it on a good length, and the ball straightened and kissed the outside edge on its way through to Matthew Wade behind the stumps.

Hazlewood rocks Pakistan with double strike

The miser: Jackson Bird is third billing in this Australian pace attack but he gave nothing away to Starc and Hazlewood today, hitting his line and length superbly and being rewarded with a couple of wickets, including that of Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq. Incredibly, the right-armer conceded just seven runs from his nine overs as he helped his side turn the screws on the tourists.

Bird the word with Misbah wicket

The stand: The Gabba came to life when 10th-wicket pair Lyon (29) and Jackson Bird (19) put on 49 in 11 overs, the former continuing his surprising batting form after a last-start Sheffield Shield fifty and the latter effortlessly hooking Mohammad Amir into the crowd at fine leg. The partnership also served to take the wind out of Paksitan's sails, after the tourists had grabbed some momentum with a flurry of wickets in the morning session.

Bird, Lyon bat like kings of the Gabba jungle

The head case: Sami Aslam looked rather tortured at times during his 100-ball 22 however it could have been much worse. Twice the 21-year-old opener turned his back to short balls from Hazlewood and was struck on the helmet. He recovered each time to take his place with little fuss, but the way in which he turned his head, eyes completely away from the ball, could have led to something serious.

The catcher: Usman Khawaja, take a bow. The Queensland skipper isn't often a standout in the field but his catching in the cordon was first class. Khawaja snared an excellent one in the middle session to remove Azhar Ali off Mitchell Starc, and later, with the pink ball fizzing through under lights and the five catchers in the slips very much in the game, he held another two sharp chances.

Khawaja claims couple of slips screamers

The blemish: It was a day of dominance for the hosts but one player who will be struggling to join in the jubilance will be second gamer Nic Maddinson, who added just one to his duck on debut in Adelaide. Maddinson will be well aware the a fit-again Shaun Marsh is a near certainty to take his place back in the XI, and at this point, he looms as the obvious man to make way.

Maddinson's rocky road in Test career continues

The wash-up: A boisterous crowd of 23,344 savoured a hundred from a young gun, an old-fashioned bashing from the last pair, and a completely clinical bowling performance from Australia's quicks. The entertaining day now puts Australia well and truly in the box seat and it appears a matter of when, not if, the hosts take a one-nil lead in this series.

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Adam Burnett previously wrote for and edited at Inside Cricket magazine and The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia and The Telegraph and the Guardian in the UK.
@AdamBurnett09

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.